Hi I’m Liam Tinker! I’m a sophomore majoring in English literature, mathematics, and philosophy (though only English lit is declared so far). I’m also pursuing a certificate in medieval and renaissance studies, and maybe a minor in Ancient Greek as well. For fun I enjoy reading sci-fi, cooking in my off campus apartment, and listening…
Author: Liam Tinker
Pitt in Spain 9 – Conclusion
Hello! I’ve been back in the United States for a bit now and as the fall semester starts I want to take a little time to reflect on my experience in Spain over the summer. Personally, I have become so much more practiced (and thus confident) at navigating new surroundings and adjusting myself to the…
Pitt in Spain 8 – What I Would do Differently
Hola! It’s been a bit since I last checked in, so by way of summary know that I’ve been fully enjoying my final few weeks studying in Spain! The Royal Palace day-trip I mentioned in the previous post was wonderful, and last weekend I spent two days in Salamanca sightseeing among the historic (like ~3,000…
Pitt in Spain 7 – Imagining a Life in Spain
Hola! Last weekend I took a trip to Bilbao, the capital of País Vasco (Basque Country) in the north of Spain, and returned in time for the beginning of classes for the July session. This round I’m taking a course on Spanish history through film and one on Spanish culture. Tomorrow I’m taking an exciting…
Pitt in Spain 6 – A Challenge
Hola! I finished finals on Tuesday (stressful but done now) and have almost a week until classes start again for the July session, where I’ll be taking a Spanish film class and a more conversational culture course. I’ll be leaving for a three-day sightseeing excursion to Bilbao on Saturday, but for now am setting aside…
Pitt in Spain 5 – Takeaways
Hola! Things are getting a bit busy for me (finals for my June classes are on Tuesday) but I’ve set aside some time to give you three salient thoughts about my experience here in Spain so far: Spanish stage fright is real: One of the things I’ve been slowly training myself out of is the…
Pitt in Spain 4 – Expectations
Hola! I’m already over a quarter of the way through my study abroad, and it feels like I only left Pittsburgh a couple days ago! Time is passing incredibly quickly, but it’s also shocking how familiar my surroundings feel after just a few weeks. Today I’m going to tell you a little about my expectations…
Pitt in Spain 3 – Alcalá de Henares and Madrid
Hola! I’m back this week to paint a broader picture of where I’m staying for the duration of my study abroad. As a summer student at the Instituto Franklin—a division of La Universidad de Alcalá devoted to graduate programs in North American studies and study abroads for international students—I live in the Lope de Vega…
Pitt in Spain 2 – Goals
Hola from la Universidad de Alcalá! I’ve moved into my gorgeous (yes, that is the correct adjective) dorm in the middle of the city center, right next to the rose-festooned Plaza de Cervantes and have just started clases. They’re giving me all the practice I could ask for in Spanish listening comprehension, as well as…
Pitt in Spain 1 – Introduction
Hola! My name is Liam Tinker and I’m a rising sophomore at Pitt’s Honors College. I’m studying English Literature, Philosophy, and Mathematics with a certificate in Medieval and Renaissance Studies. As if that wasn’t enough, I also have strong interests in the beautiful Spanish language and hispanophone literatures. Outside of school, I’m involved at WPTS…